Ideas for 4 day weekend trip with Elderly mom
 

Usually I am good at vacation ideas/planning, but having difficulty coming up with an idea for a 3 nt/4 dy trip for my husband and I to take Mom on. We are looking to go in Sept or Oct. Domestic travel. Flying OK or driving (from southern OH). Bed n Breakfast, hotel, or home rental all OK.

She's relatively healthy but has a back problem, so this can't be a physically demanding trip (such as sightseeing involving a lot of walking, etc.). Mom has traveled all around the globe in her younger years. She likes historical things. Or even a suggestion of somewhere nice to relax with some activities or sightseeing nearby. I don't believe she's been to Utah... Las Vegas would NOT be her idea of a good time. We've been to San Antonio...

Suggestions welcome! thanks!

How great you are doing that! My mom still loved to travel, even as a handicapped person, well into her nineties. I hope the trip is wonderful.
I suggest you consider Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It is a six to seven hour drive from Ohio. The center of the city is the exceedingly well done, Old Salem. www.oldsalem.org for lots more information. For a day trip you could visit Mayberry (Mt. Airy, NC) which is a straight shot up 52N from Old Salem.
If that doesn't appeal, it is hard to beat Charleston, SC in the fall. Glorious weather and history to satisfy the most demanding!
Have a great trip.

Interesting - and thanks CMCFONG. I am exploring the finger lakes region of NY state as well ... leaf peeping and wineries! But have not been to Old Salem. will look into it!

If you go to the Finger Lakes region, please do a trip report. It is on my target list.

The Yadkin Valley wineries of North Carolina are worth checking out (all within driving range of Old Salem) and we have some pretty spectacular fall foliage, too!

My mother and I have been to Sarasota a couple times and while the overall purpose was to visit my nieces (who were in college there), it would be a nice place for a vacation on its own. We rented a condo in Siesta Key so she had the pool (trouble walking on the sand due to knee replacements). Besides lots of nice restaurants (wide range of prices) in the area, it's an easy ride into Sarasota. We enjoyed the Ringling complex, some outlet shopping, etc.

How about flying to Phoenix, driving up to Sedona for a nice place to stay and maybe taking a day trip up to Grand Canyon. Another idea if she hasn't been to Utah, fly to Grand Junction,Colorado drive over to Moab, UT do the drive through of Canyonlands and Arches National Parks, and Dead Horse State park. She can get a senion pass for the National Parks for $10 which gets everyone in her group into all the parks for free for the rest of her lifetime.

My mom enjoyed a trip to Williamsburg several years ago. We walked through the historical village, ate in some of the old taverns, etc, did a little shopping, and the church in historical Williamsburg had a wonderful organ program one night that we happened to hear about. She loved it. The walking was contained to the historical village area and I believe there are some bus tours to outlying areas that we didn't have time to take.

The Greenbrier would also be a nice historical resort with some activiies and tours on the grounds, sightseeing, quaint nearby towns, but also picturesque and nice to relax. They have started the Bunker tour again, which for many decades was the location set up for the President and his staff to go to in case of a national emergency. They also offer Afternoon Tea daily. see www.greenbrier.com

Another vote for Williamsburg. There is a bus system around the settlement so if she is tired and needs to go back to the hotel (get one on site) without too much effort. I'd pick October over September for weather.

Does she still have a valid passport? Toronto or Montreal?

sorry - missed the domestic travel part - I thought of southern Canadian cities for proximity to OH.

To where can you fly NONSTOP from whatever airport you would use - my elderly mother finds airports especially difficult - too crowded, too many lines, too far to walk - and stand on one foot and take off your shoes is not a whole lot of fun. So at least non-stop reduces the airport difficulties.

thanks all for great ideas... some places she (and I) have already been. Good point, Gail, re: the nonstop flight. I'm going to look into Greenbriar and maybe a murder mystery weekend. Also, for anyone that may read this, and be looking for ideas - I discovered Door Country (a Wisconsin penninsula) that has a lot going on in the fall. Too tough to find nonstop flights from me to them however for us ...
cmcfong - I'm still considering Old Salem & even more with the winery idea! :-)

Let me know if you want any information on the Yadkin Valley wineries, Old Salem, etc. I would be glad to help out.

I took my mom to Greenbrier for a long weekend several years ago. She enjoyed herself immensely.

Whatever you choose to do, have fun!

I took my mother on lots of trips into her last years, sometimes in a rented wheelchair. Even with the chair she finally found flying too tiring with the added security, etc. so that narrowed our scope eventually. I'm glad we got in some of the distant places "early".

She enjoyed historical sites, warm weather, and entertainment (she loved Las Vegas, for example). We usually did a combo of driving scenery, tours of sites or houses, sitting to relax, and some type of show or living museum.

Some of the trips she enjoyed, though not all historical or relaxing:
Las Vegas/Zion/Bryce Canyon
Phoenix/Sedona/Grand Canyon/Petrified Forest
New Orleans/plantations
St Augustine (might be difficult to fly)
Charleston/Beaufort
Asheville
Plimoth Plantation/cranberry festival (a ways from Boston)
Niagara Falls (flew into Buffalo)
Hershey/Lancaster, PA (may be difficult to fly to Harrisburg)

Verifying how much fun Old Salem and Yadkin Valley wineries - especially fun with plays in the winery in the evenings was the Rag Apple Lassie vineyard - check out everything offered in the area. The Greenbriar Hotel is well worth a visit as it's been around as a resort spot forever. Another famous and fun Hotel is the Hotel Roanoke in Roanoke, VA which used to be the training Hotel for waiters serving people on the local north/south railroad company. I'll never forget the delicious food served in the restaurant where you felt like royalty being waited on every time you used your butter, bread, water glass or anything. They also have the best spoon bread I've ever eaten! Enjoy taking your elderly mom on memorable trips while you and she are able!!! I've moved across the country from my 89 year old mom.

ncgirl - This thread is over 6 years old. Mom may be dead by now.